I have read with great interest the valuable contribution on this subject by Mr Simpson, p. 107; and on its perusal a few thoughts naturally struck me, which I send by way of a supplement.

As far as my little experience goes with the kinds of Strawberries, and their relative merits for forcing in pots, I have more than on one occasion proved, as Mr Simpson has described, the success and again the comparative failure of the same kinds in different places. As an instance, I may here cite my father's experience of them in Bedfordshire. The best Strawberry he forces there is Marguerite, which is also, as Mr Simpson has found several others in his neighbourhood to be, much superior in all respects to the well-known Keen's Seedling. As a proof of the excellence of this Strawberry as it is grown at Col-worth, you will find, in the account of the Proceedings of the Royal Horticultural Society's Fruit Committee three years ago, notice of a sample as being first-rate, and the fruit of which, I can say, were all about 2 inches across. But the successful production of fruit, in this instance, is not all I wish to note; for besides, in tasting the fruit of the Marguerite and that of the Keen's Seedling, which were both growing side by side under glass, the former was superior in flavour to the latter; whereas, when they were similarly growing out of doors together, the reverse was the case.

As this is an additional feature of interest, and certainly of importance, if I may yet dare to call it a fact, I shall be glad to learn if any of your other correspondents have ever noticed a similar occurrence. It is certain, however, in the cases of different kinds of plants, and apparently Strawberries in particular being suited to different places, that it is a matter of the greatest importance for the gardener to consider.

Mr Simpson, in his mode of preparing young Strawberry runners for forcing, prefers the laying of some nice soil on the surface of the ground in preference to the common use of small pots. This plan I have not yet seen or heard of being tried before largely, although it is very simple and reasonable. At one place where I was once employed, about 3000 Strawberry runners were annually prepared for forcing. It happened to be my lot on one occasion to lay nearly all of them. The manner of my procedure was as follows: At first a good heap of light soil was prepared. A hand-barrow was then brought and placed near. This I had quickly filled with a lot of small pots. This done, all the pots were filled with soil with a spade in a rough-and-ready manner. The soil was smoothed over level with the rims of the pots with an old rake-handle, as if for measuring a bushel of corn; then, with a little assistance, the handbarrow was taken and carried to the place where the pots were to be disposed of. Getting there, with a crowbar I searched, and wherever I could find good runners I made holes to suit the pots. When at length I thought I had made as many holes as I had pots for, I began to plunge them, laying the runners accordingly.

This was the manner I adopted, which will be found to be much preferable to the more common one of setting the pots and laying the runners all along on the surface of the ground between the rows of permanent Strawberries, where they get dried up and knocked about anyhow.

Mr Simpson very justly condemns the practice of placing saucers of water underneath the pots, submitting his own very good and improved substitute when the Strawberries are being forced. It cannot be otherwise than injurious in principle, for if the plants are turned out of the pots, the roots in many cases will be found to be all dead as far up the ball as the pot stood in the water. No doubt plants of any kind kept in saucers of water will not dry up nearly so quick as those without them; but this is not all that should be considered, and especially when the roots perish in the manner described, the system cannot be otherwise than misapplied. Inverted turf laid all along the shelves and stages whereon to set the pots is another very good medium, where it can be conveniently adopted, as the pots so placed will not dry up nearly so quickly as those set upon the bare shelves; and besides, the roots derive considerable nourishment from the turf.

As far as I have seen of the success of forcing Strawberries in pots, and at one place in one year, I was told that 2 cwts. of ripe fruit were packed and sent to London alone. The plants, from the time they are started till the fruit is ripe, should never be allowed to get a check. As much as possible all through their season of growth they should be under the influence of something like a natural climate of sunshine and shower, with plenty of air, till the fruit begins to ripen; and water should be given but sparingly.

Robert MacKellar.

Elvaston.

Strawberry Forcing #1

Those will now be very troublesome with red-spider should the weather be hot, and particularly if the plants are standing on shelves, and, except when ripening, will require to be regularly syringed on fine afternoons. To half-fill 6-inch pots with rich soil and stand the pots in these, is the best way of nourishing and swelling fine fruit that we have tried. While they are thus supplied with a feed of fresh soil, their pots are also shaded more fully from the sun than when standing in shallow pans of water, or even when such pans are filled with soil. All plants that are now done bearing may, after being properly hardened, be planted out in well-trenched and manured soil, to give runners for another year's supply, and also to bear out-doors next year, for which they are invaluable. As a general rule, Keen's Seedling and Prince of Wales are best for early forcing.